Shooting Survivor: Slain Friends Always Made People Smile

Wednesday

May 2, 2012 at 8:25 PM

Nearly 1,000 mourners attended the joint funeral of two inseparable friends Wednesday at Lake Eva Banquet Hall. Christian Rodriguez and Joe Palacios, both 19, laid in state during the funeral service where there were tears and some laughter, as family and friends remembered the two Polk State College students who were gunned down in a Winter Haven apartment last week.

Christian Rodriguez and Joe Palacios, both 19, laid in state during the funeral service where there were tears and some laughter, as family and friends remembered the two Polk State College students who were gunned down in a Winter Haven apartment last week.

Estaban Zavala, 19, wearing a breathing tube, was helped to the podium by several friends who held him up to speak to family and friends about his friends. He was just released from Lakeland Regional Medical Center Tuesday.

Zavala was the only survivor of the shooting incident when he fled the Lake Howard Drive East apartment where Winter Haven police say Joshua Davis gunned down the two and shot him in front of Davis' 7-year-old daughter.

"They were like brothers to me," Zavala said. "All Joe's Family and all of Christian's family became part of my family. They set a good example."

He said the two always went together.

"They know how to fill people's hearts," he said. "Two of my greatest friends always will be in my heart and I'm thankful for that."

Some of the crowd stood up.

Steven Spencer, Rodriguez' college roommate, said he got close to Christian two years ago.

"We were geniuses taking college courses," he said. "He'd say ‘Are you a princess?' No matter what happened — his car blew up, he was always smiling. He'd say ‘Hey, stop being a girl'."

Jorge Mosquera said the two were more than just best friends.

"We were brothers," he said. "When I met Joe, I'd ask him was his name Joseph or Jose. Joe said ‘No, I'm just Joe. It's on my birth certificate."

Mosquero said he didn't have anything sad to say.

"I'll miss them," he said. "Rest in peace. They're in paradise now."

An older friend of Christian's said he'd known Christian from Landmark Baptist Church. A former bus captain introduced them 10 years ago.

"He always had a smile," Jason Urrieta said."And not far behind him was his sister, Stefany. I could see the love she has for him."

He explained a lot of people thought the two were girlfriend and boyfriend.

"I'd say ‘No, they're sister and brother," he said.

He said he had a conversation with Rodriguez in 2005.

"I asked him ‘If you died today, are you sure you're going to heaven?'. "Christian said yes because he had accepted Jesus Christ, Urietta said.

"I can rejoice because I will see Christian again because he'd given that testimonial."

He urged those attending the funeral to keep Rodriguez smile with them.

"I'm looking forward now because I'll see my brother in heaven," he said.

Rev. Jorge Armendariz, an assistant pastor at Faro de Luz Baptist Church, translated in English as Pastor Jaime Reyes of First Adventist Church, led the service in Spanish.

He told the mourners to believe in Jesus Christ and they would be saved.

"They died with the hope of salvation, but salvation is not just for them," he said. "I'm glad to see 85 percent of people here are young people."

He urged the young people attending to "stay away from the world, addictions" choosing to worship Jesus Christ, instead.

"The last day, these young men will rise up. There is that desire for Joe and everyone else to obtain victory in Jesus Christ," Armendariz said.

After the three-hour service, the caskets were taken to Forest Hill cemetery where the best friends were buried.

Many friends and family wore T-shirts with the name of the friends on the back. Friends held a carwash to raise money for the shirt that were sold for $15 to help the two families with expenses.

Gil Rene Palacios, Joe Palacios uncle, was a pall bearer. He'd flown in from California to meet step-siblings he'd never met before — from his father's side.

However, by coming to Florida, he said doors had opened. He didn't get a chance to meet Joe, but he met his brothers Luz and Santos.

While he said he was upset and felt robbed of the opportunity to know Joe, he felt Joe could hear him now.

Gilton Olilo said after the service he had met Christian 10 years ago through their church and that he'd touched so many lives.

"He always knew what he would do in life," he said. "He had a dedication to whatever he did.